The System Isnt Broken
View chords used in this chart
Intro:
G Am
G Am
[Verso 1]
Am N.C.
Depends on where you’re born if you are green or blue.
C N.C.
It depends upon your class if you’re a Tory too.
Em N.C.
It depends upon your money if Labour get your vote.
F N.C.
It's a cross inside a box or a hand around your throat
Am N.C.
There's guns or schoolbooks, hamburgers, or kale
C N.C.
A flat from the council or a mansion up for sale
Em N.C.
It’s a break in the country or another weekend shift.
F N.C.
It’s a cottage for your holiday or a high rise with no lift.
Am
It’s shoot them all with gunboats or save the refu--gees.
C
It’s a microwave kebab or fried halloumi cheese.
Em
It’s a massive SUV just to get your kids from school.
F
It’s a missed welfare appointment because the bus was full
Am
It’s a family on Christmas, it’s a family that’s torn.
C
It’s a fruitful loving marriage, it’s watching too much porn
Em
It’s paying someone else to get the stress nodes out your back.
F
It’s paying someone else for a little bit of crack
Am
It’s anti-Semitism or Israel is wrong.
C
It’s fill your face with botox to release your latest song
Em
It’s the bottom of your bank account, it's a little put away.
F
It’s the Billy Graham Rule or everyone is gay
[Refrão]
G F Am
Oh, the system isn't broken, it was always built this way
Interlude: Am
[Verso 2]
Am
Black lives matter or All lives matter too.
C
It’s call for a ceasefire, from the arab or the jew
Em
And it’s fighting over oil, it’s fighting over trees.
F
And what about my car, what about the bees
Am
The plastic in the ocean, all the plastic straws.
C
It’s building walls for strangers or immigration laws
Em
It’s writing party slogan on the broad side of a bus.
F
It’s a jam making communist who says he’s one of us
Am
And it's North and South Korea, fight over a line.
C
We order from Ikea, our furniture in pine
Em
We watch a documentary on how to save the whales.
F
But the only thing we help are the Netflix global sales
Am
And animals are equals, my dog it should have rights.
C
Then breed them to be pretty for the sake of Facebook likes
Em
It’s save the rainforest, it’s leave my chocolate spread.
F
It’s save the orangutans, while Syrian kids lay dead
Am
It’s raise our income taxes, buy a second home.
C
It’s pay the electric bill, or a new villa in Rome
Em
The Queen or the Pope, Grass Court or Clay.
F
The end of British Rule or up the IRA
[Refrão]
G F Am
Well, the system isn't broken, it was always built this way
Interlude: Am
[Verso 3]
Am N.C.
Life starts at conception, it’s my body, it’s my choice.
C N.C.
It’s silent acceptance of another angry voice
Em N.C.
It’s a lifetime of renting, it's a gift from Mum and Dad.
F N.C.
It’s a life of medication, or embracing you're just sad
Am N.C.
It’s always being faithful or a little on the side.
C N.C.
It’s a working girl and John, or a new husband and bride
Em N.C.
It’s tearing down a statue and throwing it in the sea.
F N.C.
Or it’s playing college football or refuse to take a knee
Am N.C.
Or it’s reading the Bible, chopsticks in your ears.
C N.C.
It’s always to be kind, or it’s I hate Britney Spears
Em N.C.
It’s fairtrade coffee, it’s drinking only soy.
F N.C.
Or it’s caring far too much if it’s a girl or it’s a boy
Am
Or it’s buy your shoes from sweatshops, march against the war.
C
It’s giving homeless money without caring what it’s for
Em
Or it’s sneering at a junkie, it’s two bottles of wine.
F
It’s a goodbye kiss for work and pretending that you're fine
Am
And you send your kids to Eton, to teach them not to care.
C
Then learn how to distract us, convince us they’re not there
Em
We'll all fight each other, and scream to have our say.
F
Making enemies of friends, when we are all the same
[Refrão]
G N.C. G F N.C. Am
Well, the system isn't broken, Well, it's always built this way
How to play The System Isnt Broken
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is G. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.